The NFL’s No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, quarterback Caleb Williams, didn’t make his debut in the Hall of Fame Game, but the league’s new kickoff rule did. And with plenty of scoring in the Chicago Bears’ 21-17 preseason win against the Houston Texans on Thursday night, viewers tuning in got plenty of chances to see the play in action.
The new rules were instituted with the goal of adding excitement to returns while decreasing the risk of injury with fewer high-speed collisions as players from both teams line up closer to each other at the start of the play.
Players on the kicking team line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line while the receiving team lines nine players up on its own 35. Two players line up downfield as returners. The kicker still kicks off from his own 35, but now kicking team defenders aren’t permitted to move until the ball lands on the ground in the “landing zone” — inside the receiving team’s 20-yard line.
The rule was tested in the XFL before being instituted in the NFL and some of the nuances of the change were on display Thursday night, including a rule allowing a 12th player to be on the field to hold for the kickoff before having to sprint off.
For the first time… the Dynamic Kickoff 🙌
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wga0LmuvtH— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2024
The game was suspended in the third quarter before ultimately being called because of weather with the Bears leading 21-17. Bears backup Brett Rypien, who came in for starter Tyson Bagent, completed 11 of 15 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to receiver Collin Johnson and the other to tight end Tommy Sweeney.
Texans quarterbacks Davis Mills and Case Keenum each contributed a touchdown pass with Mills finding tight end Teagan Quitoriano on the game-opening drive for a 9-yard touchdown and Keenum connecting with running back Cam Akers late in the second quarter for a 4-yard score.
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(Photo: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
